Medically reviewed by Dr Mathew Tung Yu Yee, Spinal Specialist Neurosurgeon
Key Takeaways
- A spine specialist is either an orthopaedic spine surgeon or a neurosurgeon with a spinal sub-specialty — both are qualified to treat most spinal conditions.
- Seeing a specialist does not mean you will be offered surgery; most spinal problems are managed without it.
- Pain travelling into an arm or leg, numbness, or weakness is worth assessing sooner rather than later.
- What matters more than the job title is whether the doctor treats spinal problems regularly and offers non-surgical options as well as surgical ones.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or sudden weakness in both legs, needs emergency assessment on the same day rather than an appointment.
Table of Contents
- When should you see a spine specialist?
- What is a doctor who specialises in the spine called?
- Our spine specialists
- What to expect at your first consultation
- Spine surgery in Singapore: what to expect
- How to choose a spine specialist
- Where to find us
- Frequently Asked Questions for Spine Specialist in Singapore
When should you see a spine specialist?
See a spine specialist when back or neck pain has not settled after a few weeks, when pain travels into an arm or leg, or when you have numbness, tingling or weakness. Short-lived pain after an obvious strain will often settle on its own; pain involving the nerves usually will not.
More specifically, it is reasonable to seek an assessment if:
- Pain has persisted beyond four to six weeks despite rest and simple measures
- Pain radiates into the buttock and leg, or into the shoulder, arm and hand
- You have numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in a limb
- Pain is disturbing your sleep, or preventing work or normal activity
- Pain followed a fall, accident or significant injury
- You have a history of osteoporosis, cancer, or previous spinal surgery
- Symptoms are getting worse rather than better
Symptoms that need emergency assessment
A small number of spinal problems are urgent. Seek immediate medical attention — the same day — if you experience loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin or inner thighs, weakness developing in both legs, or rapidly worsening weakness in any limb.
In the neck, increasing clumsiness of the hands, difficulty with buttons or handwriting, or unsteadiness when walking can indicate compression of the spinal cord and should also be assessed promptly.
What is a doctor who specialises in the spine called?
There is no single title. Spinal conditions in Singapore are treated by orthopaedic spine surgeons and by neurosurgeons who sub-specialise in the spine. Patients also use “spine specialist”, “spine doctor” and “back specialist” interchangeably, and all refer to the same group of doctors.
The distinction is one of training route rather than of what they treat day to day.
Orthopaedic spine surgeon
An orthopaedic surgeon trains across the musculoskeletal system — bones, joints, ligaments and tendons — and then sub-specialises in the spine. The orthopaedic perspective tends to emphasise the structure and mechanics of the spine: the vertebrae, the discs, alignment and stability.
Orthopaedic spine surgeons commonly manage conditions such as scoliosis and other deformities, spinal instability, fractures, and degenerative conditions of the discs and joints.
Neurosurgeon with a spinal sub-specialty
A neurosurgeon trains in the brain, spinal cord and nervous system, and a large proportion of most neurosurgical practices is spinal work. The neurosurgical perspective tends to emphasise the nerves: what is compressing them, and how to relieve that compression.
Neurosurgeons commonly manage nerve compression from disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal cord compression in the neck, and spinal tumours.
Which one do you need?
For the majority of spinal problems, either is appropriate, and the overlap is considerable. Both perform decompression surgery, both treat slipped discs, and both work with the same non-surgical options.
As a general guide:
- Symptoms dominated by nerve problems — pain travelling into a limb, numbness, weakness, or signs of spinal cord compression — sit naturally with a neurosurgical approach.
- Problems of structure and alignment — scoliosis, deformity, instability, fractures — sit naturally with an orthopaedic spine approach.
- Where a condition involves both, which is common, the two disciplines work together.
If you are unsure, you do not need to decide before booking. Describe your symptoms when you make the appointment and we will direct you to the appropriate specialist.
Our spine specialists
Spinal conditions at Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic are managed by two specialists, one from each of the disciplines above.
Dr Mathew Tung Yu Yee — Spinal Specialist Neurosurgeon
Dr Mathew Tung is a neurosurgeon whose practice covers brain and spine disorders, with a particular focus on back pain, neck pain and nerve pain.
- Qualifications: MBBS, National University of Singapore (1984); FRCS (General Surgery), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow (1996); FAMS, Academy of Medicine, Singapore
- Training: Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, and Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham
- Experience: over 20 years performing minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques
Spinal procedures include: spinal decompression and fusion, spinal laminectomy, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, and facet joint injections.
Consider Dr Tung if your symptoms are dominated by nerve involvement — pain travelling into a limb, numbness, weakness, or symptoms suggesting pressure on the spinal cord.
Read Dr Mathew Tung’s full profile →
What to expect at your first consultation
A first consultation is usually a conversation, an examination, and a plan. Most patients leave with a working diagnosis and a course of action; you will not normally be asked to make a decision about surgery at a first visit.
The consultation
Your specialist will want to understand where the pain is, where it travels, what makes it better or worse, how long it has been going on, and how it is affecting your work and sleep. It is worth thinking about these before you come — particularly whether the pain is worse in your back or in your leg, which is more diagnostically useful than it sounds.
Bring any previous scans or reports, a list of medications you take, and details of any previous spinal treatment.
The examination
The physical examination typically includes assessing your posture and how you move, testing reflexes, muscle strength and sensation, and specific tests that stretch a nerve to see whether they reproduce your symptoms. This is often what identifies which level of the spine is involved.
Imaging, if it is needed
Not every patient needs a scan at a first visit. Where imaging is indicated, an MRI shows discs, nerves and soft tissue in detail; an X-ray shows bone alignment and can rule out fractures.
One thing worth knowing: age-related changes appear on the scans of many people with no symptoms whatsoever. A scan finding matters when it corresponds to your symptoms and examination, which is why we do not treat scans in isolation.
How a treatment plan is decided
Treatment is matched to your symptoms, how long they have persisted, and what has already been tried. For most spinal conditions this begins with non-surgical measures — physiotherapy, activity modification, medication, and in some cases spinal injections.
Surgery is considered when non-surgical treatment has not achieved enough, when there is nerve weakness, or when a structural problem needs correcting. Where it is discussed, your specialist will explain what the procedure is expected to improve, what it is not expected to improve, and what the recovery involves.
Spine surgery in Singapore: what to expect
Most spinal surgery performed today is minimally invasive, using small incisions and magnification to reach the affected area with less disruption to surrounding muscle. This generally means less post-operative pain and a faster return to activity than traditional open surgery.
Common procedures include decompression such as microdiscectomy, laminectomy to create space around compressed nerves, disc replacement, and fusion where the spine needs stabilising.
What determines the cost of spine surgery
We are often asked what spine surgery costs in Singapore, and the honest answer is that it varies too widely for a single figure to be useful. What determines it:
- The procedure itself. A single-level decompression and a multi-level fusion are very different operations.
- Whether implants are used, and how many levels are involved.
- The hospital and ward class you choose.
- Length of stay, which varies by procedure and by how your recovery progresses.
- Pre-operative investigations such as MRI, and post-operative physiotherapy.
- Your insurance coverage and MediSave eligibility. Many patients find a significant proportion is covered; the specifics depend on your policy and the procedure.
We will give you a clear breakdown of the costs that apply to your particular treatment plan before you commit to anything. If cost is a concern, say so at your consultation — it is a normal part of the discussion and it sometimes affects which of several reasonable options makes sense.
How to choose a spine specialist
Beyond qualifications, a few practical questions tend to separate a good fit from a poor one:
- Is spine work a regular part of their practice? Volume and familiarity matter for spinal conditions.
- Will non-surgical options be considered first? For most conditions they should be.
- What exactly would surgery improve? A specific answer — for example, leg pain rather than back pain — is more useful than a general one.
- What does recovery look like for someone in your job? A recovery plan that ignores what you do for a living is not a plan.
- Are you comfortable asking questions? You are likely to be making decisions together over several appointments.
It is entirely reasonable to seek a second opinion before spinal surgery, and no specialist worth seeing will object.
Should you get a second opinion?
For spinal surgery, yes — it is a reasonable step and a common one. A second opinion is most useful when the recommendation is a major procedure such as a multi-level fusion, when two specialists have proposed different approaches, or when you simply do not feel you have understood the reasoning.
Bring your imaging with you rather than repeating it. And be aware that two specialists can reach genuinely different conclusions from the same scan without either being wrong — spinal decision-making involves judgement about how much your symptoms are likely to improve, not only what the scan shows.
Where to find us
Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic is located at Gleneagles Medical Centre, 6 Napier Road, #02-10/11 & #03-07, Singapore 258499.
To book an appointment:
- Call or WhatsApp: +65 8805 4227
- Book an appointment online
Same-day appointments are available. X-ray and MRI can be arranged in advance of your consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions for Spine Specialist in Singapore
Frequently Asked Questions for Spine Specialist in Singapore
